The Lovers (Les Amants) furthered the reputations of both director Louis Malle and star Jeanne Moreau -- and also pushed the boundaries of American censorship (1959 vintage) to the breaking point. Moreau plays a humdrum housewife whose life… MoreThe Lovers (Les Amants) furthered the reputations of both director Louis Malle and star Jeanne Moreau -- and also pushed the boundaries of American censorship (1959 vintage) to the breaking point. Moreau plays a humdrum housewife whose life brightens considerably when she meets a handsome young archeologist (Jean-Marc Bory). The two enjoy an exquisite evening in the boudoir, and when comes the dawn, Moreau has gained a whole new outlook on things. She abandons her family in favor of Bory, even though neither has the slightest notion of what the future will hold. The Lovers gained notoriety upon its first release as the Movie With the Nude Scene: though a model of decorum by today's standards (the most suggestive moment is a shot of Moreau's hand falling limply on the bedsheets), the scene provided fodder for outraged guardians of public morals for several years. One hapless Cleveland theatre owner was arrested on an obscenity charge, a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Venice Film festival took a more liberal stance on the matter, awarding The Lovers a special jury prize. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Adultery and the bourgeoisie, the script is solid as are the performances but it's the awesome 'First Night' scene that really makes this film.… MoreAdultery and the bourgeoisie, the script is solid as are the performances but it's the awesome 'First Night' scene that really makes this film. While this is only Malle's second film, he is still experimenting with plot development and narrative but by now has established himself as a strong director visually, the lighting during the boat trip is just beautiful. Visually stunning and hugely influential, a young Charles Webb obviously took note!

Walter M.

[font=Century Gothic]"The Lovers" starts with Jeanne(Jeanne Moreau) and Maggy(Judith Magre), best friends since childhood, watching a polo match in… More[font=Century Gothic]"The Lovers" starts with Jeanne(Jeanne Moreau) and Maggy(Judith Magre), best friends since childhood, watching a polo match in Paris featuring Raoul Flores(Jose Villalonga), a star player. When Maggy moved to Paris, Jeanne stayed behind in Dijon and married a newspaper publisher, Henri(Alain Cuny), and gave birth to a daughter, Catherine(Patricia Maurin). While a loving husband, Henri is also inattentive to her needs, spending most of his time at the newspaper. He encourages her visits to Paris which lead to Jeanne's attraction to Raoul.[/font]
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[font=Century Gothic]Directed by Louis Malle, "The Lovers" is a stunning and lovingly photographed movie with an absolutely fantastic ending. Throughout, there is a running conflict between the past, present and a possible future, all running together. The Paris that Maggy knows is not the one I dream of high culture, but rather of style, fashion and impermanence compared to the provinces where nothing much ever changes. And even though Jeanne wants for nothing, there is still something missing from her life which might possibly be found in Paris.[/font]

Stefanie C

jeanne moreau is intriguing to watch. fascinating exploration of the bourgeois and immensely bored. the plot was way ahead of its time -- interesting that this… Morejeanne moreau is intriguing to watch. fascinating exploration of the bourgeois and immensely bored. the plot was way ahead of its time -- interesting that this was filmed in the late 50's

Mike T.

Aesthetically speaking, this is a truly beautiful piece, and Louis Malle does wonders with that aspect alone. On top of being a photographic triumph, the movie… MoreAesthetically speaking, this is a truly beautiful piece, and Louis Malle does wonders with that aspect alone. On top of being a photographic triumph, the movie makes a lot of bold decisions in terms of sexual depictions, especially in regards to adultery. It's a very sensual experience, and is quite influential in a lot of ways. All that being said, the shallowness of the protagonist is a bit wearisome and a lot of the character's actions seem to work in favor of brisk plot development rather than realistic human tendencies. The movie sums itself up too quickly for the amount of material crammed in, and it does a lot of damage to how well transitions play out. Worth a look for its achievements.

Eric Broome

Louis Malle's first feature is more conservative than the typical French New Wave classic, but it's an impressive, polished debut. The glaring problem… MoreLouis Malle's first feature is more conservative than the typical French New Wave classic, but it's an impressive, polished debut. The glaring problem is that the first half is far more interesting than the second. We're introduced to Jeanne (Jeanne Moreau, back when she could still pass for "girlish"), a bored, neglected wife married to a wealthy newspaper publisher. She escapes her joyless life with steady trips to Paris, where she sees her socialite friend Maggy and a polo-playing paramour. The subtle tensions between these characters are engrossing, but the film sinks once Jeanne meets another man and the story turns into a gooey, dreamy-eyed romance based on no obvious chemistry or motive. "The Lovers" was quite controversial in its day, due to a late sex scene where Moreau's expression of ecstasy suggests some intimate stimulation below. Oh, and there are a few flashes of nipple too. But it's all very tame by contemporary standards.

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